SEV’s Employees are Satisfied and Thriving

Employee satisfaction is high. This is the overall picture from the very first employee well-being survey at SEV.  In December 2013, the well-being survey was distributed to 126 employees and 108 responded, for an excellent participation rate of 85.7%.

“Employee well-being is imperative. As a natural part of its strategic planning, any modern workplace integrates into its fundamental goals the well-being and happiness of its employees and the creation of a stimulating and challenging work environment. The advantages to a company are reduced absences due to illness, and enhanced employee performance,” says HR Manager Bergtóra Høgnadóttir.

Bergtóra is very pleased with the high participation rate, and most especially with the good results.

The majority of the employees stated that they have meaningful jobs and that they were content and took pride in being an employee of SEV. They expressed a sound confidence in the Managing Director and management in general and also a confidence and trust in each other.   They indicated that the day-to-day work environment is not stressful, nor is there much bullying or teasing.  SEV has always maintained a zero-tolerance for undue stress on the job and for hazing and teasing, which the survey confirms is still present.  However, the well-being survey offers an excellent opportunity to refocus on this goal.

Bergtóra points out that the survey provides a good snapshot of the current corporate environment and at the same time lays the foundation for meaningful and more in-depth conversations with employees about the work environment.

“There is always something that can be better.  No workplace is so perfect that employee satisfaction is 100% all the time.  With the survey in hand, it will be easier to talk about difficult situations and issues, and compare these with what is working well within the company.  Hopefully, in this way it will be possible to apply, for example, specific, well-functioning procedures and ways of communicating to areas in need of support,” states Bergtóra.

Employees in all departments were informed about the survey results and each department discussed the survey.  During these discussions, many extremely valuable ideas were suggested that will no doubt prove useful in helping to create an even better work environment at SEV.

The survey and the follow-up discussions that took place throughout the company indicated the need, among other concerns, for improved communications within the organisation and for greater transparency.

“We are reviewing these and other issues in the hope of further improving employee well-being throughout the company,” notes Bergtóra Høgnadóttir.

Input (input.fo), a management and human resources consultancy firm based in the Faroe Islands, developed and carried out the survey on behalf of SEV.